Works of Art, Creating Our Handmade Silver and Copper DESIDERATUM Art Jewelry, Architectural Creations and Other Projects ....
and Musings of Living a Frugal Artistic Country Life in Central New Brunswick, Canada

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

The Copper Angels

Way back in the early 1990's, when we first started making things from copper, this angel came into being...

I drew it out on heavy cardboard and traced it onto the copper... John cut each one out with hand shears.. till his fingers bled, I'm sorry to say... copper edges are sharp and not the easiest to manipulate around all those ins and outs and corners... then they were hammered and the edges smoothed...

We made quite a few... She took care of our whole family for a while... with the sales of her sisters... they fed us... they clothed us... and kept us warm... this is the only one we have left now... and all of those earlier memories are inside her...

We developed a method... to suit ourselves... of patinating copper... to bring out its beautiful verdigris... as you often see in old church roofs... with glimpses of its original color still visible...

...the variations were always different ... always a surprise...

I still find it one of the most beautiful surfaces...

At that time... in our never ending searches for old interesting things, we stumbled across an old church that had collapsed with age and neglect.... long years earlier...

...from this site, we were able to salvage some beautiful weathered wood.. protected under other debris... still sound...and solid... with the grains showing the strength of differing growing seasons, when the tree had more sustenance...

We used portions of this beautiful wood for the bases.. they suited each other perfectly...

We came across this book with its wealth of information on Angels... almost anything, in writing and illustration, you would ever want to know on the subject, I would say... in great detail...

Angels have a reputation as being Divine Messengers... most often they are envisioned as a winged being in Human form... existing as such in the beliefs of the ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans.... They are also present in Hinduism and Islam...

In Christian tradition, Angels are spiritual beings... created to act as intermediaries between Heaven and Hell.... what ever you perceive these to be...

and not to forget, the Archangels who are said to protect against Demons...

They say there are Angels to watch over almost everything.... The Moon... The Four Seasons... The Planets... The Hours of the day... The Days of the Week and so forth...

Although to balance things out, under the leadership of the Archangels are the Angels of Punishment... who rule over the Seven Divisions of Hell... again, whatever you imagine that to be...

Particular angels are assigned attributes, such as...

Michael..... the Sword for Judgement

Raphael... a Pilgrim's Staff symbolizing Protection...

Uriel...a Book for Wisdom

and Gabriel... a Lily for Mercy...

There is even an Angel's Alphabet........ an Angelic Script...

... most often... innocence, kindness and beauty are associated with the Virtues of Angels....

...a small copper verdigris Star we made at the time... I love the combination of the two textures...

Many believe Mortals have Guardian Angels to protect them through life...

May you be watched over... wherever you are... whether you believe or not....

I am merely the teller...

.... first two masterly illustrations are by William Morris from his book "The Kelmscott Chaucer"...."The Four Angels of the Winds" by Durer... "The Angelic Script" and the small woodcut... taken from "A Dictionary of Angels"...

47 comments:

Thank you for the blessing of the angels, mine just got me out of bed at 4 in the mornint to be first to see your mst angelic post.It is wonderful that your angels provided for you when you needed it, even though it came at the price of John's hands.So gad you kept one for it's own sake.

Should you have the time to visit, scroll down a couple of posts, there are some roses you may enjoy.I hope your dear Max is happy at school. Our grandies have finished for the year and made a splendid 1st. Advent for us. India is away teaching and will be home again to-night. I miss her...

Angels are visiting all around, connecting us. I am a lover of verdigris, and your angel has special beauty with the labor and design love that went into her. Informative and beautiful post, Gwen. Thank you.

A beautiful angel indeed! I once made a flying trumpeting angel out of wood, not sure where she flew off to, hmmm... Noah and I thought your little cove with the table would be a wonderful spot to sit and do some homeschooling. Oh the thoughts we could think in there!

Gwen, we can never have enough Angels in our lives, thank you for this angelic post...your copper angel is superb...and I am certainly thinking about the artists hands that created it...both yours and Johns.Angelic script is wonderful, as all the images you have chosen to show...W Morris & Durer...amazing!

Thank you Kathi... I hope the Angels are watching over Jim's family...

Arija, Your roses certainly do look and feel as if a magical Princess in in there somewhere.. just waiting for her prince.. Magnificent...I think I worried more for John's hands than he did.. but that is both of our natures... It is delightful to see your upside down life compared to ours... For me to see roses in winter is surely a blessing indeed...

Anonymous, your comment is a happy one.. Funny you should say that.. people are moving to this little nook along the Bay of Fundy from all over the world!!

Ruth when you first posted your angel, the feeling it emitted was so warm, I thought I would love to do one too.. then Sharon exhibited the angels that surround her and that was that.. I had to join in...

Dada, Thank you, you are sweet! Angels do bring wistful thoughts to each of us don't they..

Anet.. that little nook with the table is waiting there for you and Noah... You two could teach me a few things... I'll be sitting there with wide eyes listening to you and my chalk and slate at the ready...I bet your beautiful angel came to life and is flying up overhead somewhere, smiling down at you right now....

Sharon, Angel processions all over the world.. that should be good for everyone's heart... I haven't figured out how to use the Angels alphabet yet.. may have to learn Hebrew in my next life time...

mansuetude, what a beautiful image.. glowing, streaming light.. unceasing... pouring out of all the crevices... like a sunburst... your words are picturesOh the sculpture your friend made .. now you are tantalizing me.. I'd love to see it...

Jo, so glad you came to share in it... The sense of an angel hovering near, can never be a bad thing... even if it is just a feeling to keep you company... thank-you...

Beautiful post, so much to share. The cove is beautiful along with the view. The windows in your home are just wonderful,from a church? Perhaps the very one that you found the wood at? Angel alphabet,very interesting.Poor husband cutting copper.

Hello, Beautiful Gwen. I love all the Angel Lore, especially the Aphabet! And I love, love, love your "whimsical" jewelry line. But - I think "Coffee Pot" should be renamed "Squirrel with Curly Tail and HUGE erection" - I'm going to be in trouble with the angels - or somebody - for that joke! Plus, what if I'm the only one who gets it? I'm the only one who sees the priapic squirrel? Is priapic a word? Well, let me know if I need to schedule an extra shrink appointment this month! From your irreverent cyber friend. :-)

Shicat, very observant.. they were models of some windows we found at another location from another church... oh, John is a pretty tough guy.. he doesn't seem to mind a bit of rough handling...

Morna, you are hilarious!!!.. you're right... in a way that coffee pot could be a pretty frisky squirrel.. .. that's fine with me... maybe someone wants an abstract squirrel in heat.. who knows.. different strokes for different folks...

...art like beauty is in the eye of the beholder..

hey the angels thought you were funny too.. you lightened everyones load..and you are probably saner than most!! I'll be over to see your angels... no redemption needed.. just be you!!

Thanks Marie, glad they drop in from time to time.. it is nice to have a little mystery, isn't it?...

Whew! Expulsion of held breath. I am so glad you are as nutty as I am. :-) I would never want to offend you. And I'd never want THAT to be something you'd find offensive!! Thank you, for telling me to be me. And thank you for being you.

Hey Gwen, Noah and I were reading about Christmas celebrations around the world. We read that children in Eastern Canada would receive barley toys and chicken bones in their stockings. Noah was wondering if you knew of these things. They are candy,yes?

Gwen, what wonders you have to share with us. Angels are all around, I'm quite sure of that, gently protecting and guiding us. Yours looks so pretty against the arched window.Thank you for this special post.x

Anet, yes chicken Bones and Barley toys were a traditional Candy treat at Christmas.. chicken bones are a hot spicy bright pink outer crunchy hard candy surrounding milk chocolate about 2" long and rather skinny... and Barley toys were a sweet clear candy you could suck on all day in lots of colors and shapes such as santas, reindeer, dogs, roosters, pigs, cats, camels, trees, houses.. etc.. all kinds of shapes.. they were my favourite... Most of them began being made in St. Stephen New Brunswick at Ganong Bros.

You bring back lots of memories.. they still sell them too. I bet Noah would Love them and maybe you too!!

well, gotta love the magnificent moose...when i was maybe second grade, in Maine camping out, before bed, I heard someone tease that they had pitched our tent on a moose path, ha ha... out at the fire, i had to ask my father the particulars of that idea, and it didn't help me sleep!

They are so big... and they charge too if they decide they feel like it... who's gonna stop them.. ... with long legs like that, they probably could have stepped over your tent and not even wakened you...

I can imagine the joy of discovery you had with rummaging through that old church. Just looking at the wood grain and the way it has been worn through the years makes it such a thing of beauty. The slow-growth timber of the days of yore will never return, we'll only find it in the ruins, or in your house!

Came across a moose on the Pacific Crest Trail when I was in college. He and I stood and looked at each other, 15 feet apart, for what seemed like a long time. Then off he "trotted" - which sounded like an avalanche. So big.

Your angel looks as if she will fly gently out of the window, her horn sounding long after she is gone. So beautiful the picture itself. But then we get to see the textures and they are amazing. The wood makes you just want to run your fingers over it feeling its texture and spirit.May she watch over you always...

Your angels are divine, such a beautiful colour. I've been checking out your other posts, what a beautiful part of the world you live in, it must be a very inspiring place. Your jewellery and books are stunning too.

Hi Ro, I'm glad you came by and had a tour around my part of the world... The huge tides of the Bay of Fundy and the accompaning cloud formations have a way of getting into the depth of a person's soul... We truly enjoy its environment...

Our Little Old Homestead

*** 2018 - The SABBATICAL - oh my, the Excitement ***

After 25 years of creating our whimsical Desideratum Art Jewelry, we are taking a Sabbatical. Yes, indeed... we have waited a long time for this. The freedom to explore and experiment with abandon and to indulge ourselves in the many fields of creativity that have been simmering away on the back burner.

John will be centering himself in his Painting studio... Oil painting to be specific. I will have my hands in sheep fleece, textiles, drawing, gardening etc.... and we will occasionally make some jewelry pieces in limited and one-of designs,of course. The prospect of the coming year is Exhilarating to say the least. Things will be humming here.

Thank You so very much to Everyone, Individuals and Shop Owners, who have followed our work all these years... we dearly appreciate it... we hope to have lots more things to share in this next chapter of our lives.

The Muses

Sorry... Sold-Out

......My Inspirational Muse .......The DESIDERATA .......

Go Placidly Amid The Noise And Haste and Remember what peace there may be in silence.As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.Speak your truth quietly and clearly; And listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; They too have their story...

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit.If you compare yourself with others, you will become vain and bitter; For always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans...

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism...

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment it is perennial as the grass...

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings.Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself...

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should...

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul...

With all the sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.......